Emirates business class Dubai-London Gatwick
Emirates has a dedicated ight attendant behind the bar, who makes cocktails and o ers bar snacks to passengers
BACKGROUND Emirates operates multiple flights to three airports in London — Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. Emirates flies the A380 on all flights to Heathrow and Gatwick, while it operates a B777-300 ER on its Stansted sector. Today, I am on EK 15, a morning departure to Gatwick, which connects seamlessly with my A380 flight from Mumbai to Dubai.
BOARDING What I absolutely love at Dubai International Airport is the direct access to the A380 upper deck from the Emirates business class lounge. After an express breakfast in the sprawling lounge, I exit — without having to enter the main concourse and walk towards my gate, where an aerobridge connects the lounge to the aircraft. Boarding is easy and quick, as there is one aerobridge dedicated to the upper deck, for first and business class passengers.
THE SEAT The A380 business class cabin features a generous 1-2-1 configuration, in a staggered layout. The massive cabin features 76 seats. Each seat oers a pitch of 48 inches and a width of 18.5 inches. The seat position can be configured dierently, from a recline position to a fully-flat bed position. Each seat comes with a generous side console, a power socket, USB port, reading light and a sliding tray table. There is a mini bar in every seat console, with bottles of still and sparkling water, and soft drinks. There is a massive touchscreen for entertainment, which can also be operated remotely using the detachable tablet on the side console.
WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE If you’re a solo traveller, try to choose the A or K window seats, as they oer the most privacy, and are away from the aisle. Avoid the last two rows of the cabin as the noise from the bar could disturb you. If you’re travelling with a loved one, the E and F centre seats are ideal.
THE FLIGHT The morning flight to London Gatwick is a little over seven hours. Soon after take-o, a continental breakfast is served, comprising fresh fruit, yoghurt, croissants and muins, with a selection of tea and coee. Following this, the crew comes around oering a turndown service, where a duvet is placed on your seat, for added comfort. I then head to the onboard lounge, to enjoy a glass of Veuve Clicquot while socialising with other passengers. I love that Emirates has a dedicated flight attendant behind the bar, who makes cocktails and oers bar snacks to passengers. Before landing into London, a full lunch service takes place. There is a cocktail round, followed by a portion of Arabic mezze with bread, and then a main course of Indian chicken curry with rice followed by dessert and cheese platters.
VERDICT Emirates scores on all fronts with its A380 experience — from its seamless Dubai hub to the inflight product, service and even the complimentary chaueur-drive service.